Cosmetic Dentistry

Adam Dental Clinic: Complete Cosmetic Dental Services in Yellowknife

Your teeth do a lot of work for you. As you age, the daily wear-and-tear on your teeth can cause them to weaken or become damaged or discoloured. Adam Dental Clinic’s experienced dental professionals use the latest technology to give you a brighter, more youthful and healthy-looking smile.

cosmetic cosmetic

Adam Dental Clinic’s cosmetic dentist services in Yellowknife include a range of proven techniques that will bring your teeth back to their natural strength and beauty.


Treatment and Procedures for Common Problems

If you are considering any of these treatments, we invite you to meet with one of our dental professionals to discuss your individual circumstances and find a treatment that best meets your needs.

PROBLEM

  • Staining 
  • Discolouration 
  • Dullness

This may be due to aging, food stains, smoking, or genetic factors

TREATMENT

Whitening Procedures We offer treatments that you can undergo at the clinic or at home.


  • Chipped or worn teeth 
  • Gaps between teeth 
  • Discolouration that does not respond to other whitening procedures 
  • Missing one or more teeth 
  • Repairing severely damaged teeth

Bonding or Porcelain Veneers
Your teeth can be re-surfaced with compounds that are very like the natural enamel of the teeth themselves, restoring a healthy appearance.


  • Missing one or more teeth 
  • Repairing severely damaged teeth

Crowns
Crowns can be fitted to a damaged tooth, replacing the damaged portion and strengthening the remaining tooth. Crowns may be used to improve appearance or repair damage.

Bridges
If you are missing one or several teeth, we might suggest building a ‘bridge’ of strong, natural-looking replacement teeth to replace the missing ones.

Implants
If a bridge is not the most appropriate option for you, the best long-term solution would be an implant.


  • Crooked teeth 
  • Crowded teeth 
  • Uneven teeth 
  • Over/undersized teeth

Recontouring or Polishing

These problems may be solved through non-orthodontic procedures that include recontouring the teeth to better fit with the others in your mouth. Recontouring may be used in combination with polishing, veneers, crowns and bonding to achieve the best possible balance and appearance for your smile.


Porcelain Veneers

Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer thin, custom-made shells of tooth-coloured materials designed to cover the front surface of teeth to improve their appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth. changing their colour, shape, size or length. Dental veneers made from porcelain resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth.

WHAT TYPES OF PROBLEMS DO DENTAL VENEERS FIX?

Veneers are routinely used to fix:

  • Teeth that are discoloured – either because of root canal treatment; stains from tetracycline or other drug, excessive fluoride or other causes; or the presence of large resin fillings that have discoloured the tooth 
  • Teeth that are worn down 
  • Teeth that are chipped or broken 
  • Teeth that are misaligned uneven, or irregularly shaped (for example, have craters or bulges in them) 
  • Teeth with gaps between them (to close the space between these teeth)

ADVANTAGES OF DENTAL VENEERS

  • They provide a natural tooth appearance
  • Gum tissue tolerates porcelain well
  • Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant
  • The color of porcelain can be selected such that it makes dark teeth appear whiter
  • Veneers offer a conservative approach to changing a tooth’s colour and shape; veneers generally don’t require the extensive shaping prior to the procedure that crowns do, yet offer a stronger, more aesthetic alternative

DISADVANTAGES OF DENTAL VENEERS

  • The process is not reversible
  • Veneers are usually not repairable should they chip or crack
  • A veneer’s colour cannot be altered once in place. If you plan on whitening your teeth, you need to do so before getting veneers
  • Although veneers can dislodge and fall off, to minimize the chance of this occurring, do not bite your nails, chew on pencils ice or other hard objects; or otherwise put excessive pressure on your teeth
  • Individuals who clench and grind their teeth are poor candidates for porcelain veneers, as these activities can cause the veneers to crack or chip

Dental veneers do not require any special care. Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including brushing and flossing as you normally would.


What to Expect:

FIRST APPOINTMENT

The first appointment usually takes between 1-3 hours, depending on how much work you are having done. During the preparation, a small amount of the surface of the tooth is usually removed under local anesthetic. After impressions are taken, temporary restorations are fabricated, which remain on your teeth until the fit appointment. If the tooth/teeth have existing fillings, the dentist may need to remove those as part of the procedure. The temporary material is porous and may stain with heavily coloured food and drinks, (i.e. curries, red wine and black coffee) so try to avoid these if possible.

HOW TO CLEAN TEMPORARY RESTORATIONS

Brush your teeth as normal; if the temporaries are joined together you will not be able to floss. Using a mouthwash such as Listerine® Total Care or Colgate® FluoriGard will help.

HOW WILL MY TEETH FEEL AFTER THE APPOINTMENT?

Whenever dental treatment is carried out, there is a risk that inflammation of the dental nerve or gums may occur. This may result in sensitivity or soreness and will settle within a few days or weeks.

In a small portion of cases the nerve may be damaged, and the area may not settle. The risk is increased where there is a history of decay, damage or trauma to the tooth. In these cases, it may be necessary for the tooth to have root canal treatment.

There can be a 2-3-week interval period between the preparation appointment and the fitting of the porcelain restoration. In the rare circumstance there can be unexpected delays, so please allow an additional 2-3 weeks before significant social events.

During this phase it is quite normal to feel anxious and nervous at the prospect of a completely new look. The quality of the porcelain is far superior to the acrylic of temporaries and will feel smooth to the tongue. Porcelain is highly polished and has superb stain-resistant properties.

THE FIT APPOINTMENT

We normally allocate 1-1.5 hours for the fit of the porcelain restoration, usually under local  anesthetic. The permanent restorations are bonded in place using the latest-dentine bonding agent for superior strength. This bond often causes sensitivity, sometimes for several weeks.

Avoid very hot or cold food and drinks. We may place a fluoride varnish and give you a home fluoride kit to treat this.

HOW LONG WILL THE BRIDGE LAST?

It is Important to maintain good oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing. Regular hygiene appointments and fluoride application, along with a good diet, help to prolong the restorations.


Inlays and Onlays

When a large portion of a tooth’s biting surface is damaged, an Inlay or onlays are often recommended as a treatment. Inlays and onlays are pieces of material that are permanently bonded to a tooth to replace a damaged portion. Often made of porcelain, gold or composite resin, inlays are similar to a filling, but are prepared in a lab and then bonded onto the tooth to provide the strength that was lost by the tooth. An onlay is basically the same as an Inlay but replaces most of the biting surface of the tooth.

Gold is the traditional choice of material for inlays or onlays, although porcelain has become increasingly popular since it can closely match the natural colour of your teeth and is very strong. One other advantage of porcelain is that it can be bonded to the tooth.

Traditional fillings can reduce the strength of a natural tooth by up to 50%. As an alternative, inlays and onlays, being bonded directly onto the tooth using special high-strength resins, can actually increase the strength of a tooth by up to 75%. As a result, they can last from 10-30 years. In some cases, where the damage to the tooth is not extensive enough to merit an entire crown, onlays can provide a very good alternative.


Teeth Whitening

Repairing Damaged Teeth

If you have missing or damaged teeth, we can restore and enhance the natural beauty or your smile. Our practice can treat:

  • Missing teeth, gaps between teeth, general bite problems 
  • Chipped, cracked or worn teeth 
  • Unsightly stained or washed-out fillings 
  • Permanently stained or discoloured teeth 
  • Crooked or crowded teeth

Sealants

Recommended for kids between 6 and 12, sealants are highly effective in preventing decay on the biting surfaces of your chewing teeth. Sealants are a simple procedure in which a tooth-coloured acrylic coating is painted onto the surface of the tooth. This effectively seals the deep grooves where decay is most likely to start. We do not use sealants containing Bisphenol- BPA.


TMJ Disorders

TMJ stands for the Temporo-Mandibular Joint -- hence today conditions that affect the joints are termed TMD, standing for Temporo-Mandibular Disorders. TMD is a complex condition of very unique two-joints, therefore treatment is also complex. The most common treatment we provide at our clinic is totally reversible and non-invasive. This may not cure all the symptoms, but often provides enough relief for a person to function normally. Our treatment involves the use of the TENS machine and measurement of the activity of the muscles of mastication. In addition, the use of Botox is now becoming popular to reduce the activity of some muscles. Our staff have received specialized training to perform TENS treatment, and the measurement of muscular activities. They have also been trained to fit and adjust orthotics provided for treatment.

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are a family of problems related to your complex jaw joint. If you have any symptoms like pain or a clicking sound, you’ll be glad to know that these problems are more easily diagnosed and treated than they were in the past. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment are important.

DO YOU HAVE A TMJ DISORDER?

  • Are you aware of grinding or clenching of your teeth? 
  • Do you wake up with sore, stiff muscles around your jaws? 
  • Do you have frequent headaches or neck aches? 
  • Does the pain get worse when you clench your teeth? 
  • Does stress make your clenching and pain worse? 
  • Does your jaw click, pop, grate, catch or lock when you open your mouth? 
  • Is it difficult or painful to open your mouth, eat or yawn? 
  • Have you ever injured your neck, head or jaws? 
  • Have you had problems (such as arthritis) with other joints? 
  • Do you have teeth that no longer touch when you bite? 
  • Do your teeth meet differently from time to time? 
  • Is it hard to use your front teeth to bite or tear food? 
  • Are your teeth sensitive, loose, broken or worn?

The more times you answered “yes,” the more likely it is that you have a TMJ disorder. Understanding TMJ disorders will also help you understand how they’re treated.

TMJ TREATMENT

There are various treatment options that we can utilize to improve the harmony and function of your jaw. Once an evaluation confirms a diagnosis of TMJ disorder, the dentist will determine the proper course of treatment. It is important to note that treatment always works best with a team approach of self-care as well as professional care.

Hours of Operation

Monday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Tuesday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Wednesday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Thursday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Friday

9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Saturday

11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Sunday

Closed

Monday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday
9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Sunday
Closed